"The Pride" - Highland Park 30, Vintage 1985

With the official distillery equivalent currently fetching upwards of USD$1400, this independent offering at cask strength seems like a no-brainer. Distilled in 1985 and bottled in 2015 at natural strength from an outturn of just 216 bottles. 

Bottler: Silver Seal Whisky Company

Distillery: Highland Park

Cask Number: 372

Number of Bottles: 216

ABV: 51%

Bottle Size: 700ml

Review from Whiskyfun

Colour: White wine.

Nose: green fruits, lime zest, chalk, ink, lemon rind, olive oil, a vibrant waxiness and some beautifully nervous fruity notes of lemon drops, lychee and apricot. With a little time some very delicate medical notes of cough syrup and throat lozenges emerge.

Nose (with water): gets leafier and fruitier with water. Some pine resin and a little lemon icing.

Mouth (Neat): Lots of orange oils, herbal liqueurs, jasmine tea, green olives, yellow flowers, white pepper - a rainbow whisky! More cough medicine, more subtle waxiness and some mustard notes. Feels mature but also wonderfully lively and sprightly for its age.

Mouth (with water): gets drier now, veering more towards pastries, fresh breads and dried herbs. Some black olives in olive oil and rosemary. Really works beautifully with water.

Finish: Long, lemony, mineral, savoury and full of little pin sharp notes of fruits and soft peppery spice notes. Comments: Exemplary old HP, not such a peaty one but more towards fruits and spices over all. The perfect every evening dram. I am delighted to inform you that I love it! SGP: 443 - 91 points.